Aerosols

Do not pierce, crush or flatten the aerosol before recycling. Detach any loose or easily removable parts, such as the plastic lid, and dispose of them with the rest of your rubbish. Don't worry about removing the plastic nozzle - this will be removed during the recycling process.

Ash

Ash from wood fires which doesn't contain toxic materials can be used in home composting.

Assisted collections

Assisted collections are available where ALL residents in the household are unable to place their bins at the collection point due to ill health, infirmity or a disability. To find out more about applying for an assisted collection, please see assisted collections.

Bathroom suites

Any retailer selling large quantities of household batteries, such as AA and AAA will provide battery recycling collection facilities in-store. Alternatively, they can be taken to the Household Recycling and Reuse Centre (the tip).

Instead of buying normal batteries, why not buy rechargeable ones? They are better for the environment and last longer.

Bins

Bin liners / bags

You can now buy biodegradable or recycled bin liners in most supermarkets, which is the best option for the environment. These liners must not go into your recycling or garden waste bins. Any waste presented in a black bag in either the recycling or garden waste bins will be assumed as contamination and will not be collected.

Bin repair / replacement

Where possible, we will always aim to repair rather than replace your damaged bins. If your bin has been damaged or stolen then please visit new bin or bin repair / replacement for more information on how to request a new one.

Bin tags

Bin tags cannot be recycled and should be put in your green-lidded bin. We would have liked for them to be recyclable, however, for them to be weatherproof as well as low cost, they are made from plastic-coated card.

Black bag waste

Black bag waste is anything that cannot be reused, recycled or composted and would therefore go into your green-lidded bin.

Blue-lidded bin (recycling)

Body Shop

Books can be donated to a local charity shop, family, friends or school for reuse. You could also try using a website like Read it swap it or BookMooch where you can swap your old books for someone else's.

Brown-lidded bin (garden waste)

Bubble wrap

Up to 6 bags per load of building waste from home DIY (excluding footings, internal wall removal, foundation work or internal render) can be disposed of at the Household Recycling and Reuse Centre (the tip). Please ask an advisor on site.

Bulky household waste

Bulky waste collections can be arranged for a charge. You can book for up to ten items at a time. Bulky waste items are currently collected by Emmaus who reuse and recycle as many of the collected items as possible.

Cereal boxes

All hazardous and chemical waste that is destined for disposal must be cleanly and safely packaged in a container suitable for the purpose, clearly labelled and submitted for disposal at the Household Recycling and Reuse Centre (the tip). Please advise staff of any items you may have upon arrival at the site.

Children's toys

Old cards and paper can be reused for making present tags or paper chains. Alternatively, these can be recycled in your blue-lidded bin. You should try not to buy metallic paper as it cannot be recycled!

Real Christmas trees can be cut up and placed in your brown-lidded bin. Please remember that garden waste collections only operate between March and November. Otherwise they can be taken to the Household Recycling and Reuse Centre (the tip). If Christmas trees are artificial then these may be reused for subsequent years, or given to a friend or family member for reuse.

Cling film

Cling film cannot be collected for recycling. It can damage the machinery used for sorting recycling by becoming tangled around it. It must go in your green-lidded bin. Why not try to reduce the amount that you use by storing things in reusable containers instead.

Every year 900 million textile items go to waste in this country, but old jumpers and unwanted clothing are a valuable resource in many less developed countries. In Africa and the Baltic States 90% of people depend upon reclaimed textiles from developed countries for their clothes!

Coffee cups

We are unable to recycle drinks cups at present. Why not reduce the number of coffee cups you use by using a reusable coffee cup or mug? Many coffee shops offer discounts for bringing your own mug!

Coins

Most charities have a scheme where you can donate your unwanted foreign currency. If you have notes why not exchange them using a currency conversion service.

Commercial waste

Composting

Food waste makes up approximately a third of our weekly green-lidded bin collections in Coventry. Much of this could be composted instead. Discounted composting bins are available to all Coventry residents.

You should ensure that all personal information is removed before attempting to sell or dispose of your computer.

Contamination

Putting things that we can't collect into the recycling (blue-lidded) or garden (brown-lidded) bin can contaminate the whole load collected by our crews. Putting the wrong items into these bins can cause problems with the recycling process and increase costs of providing the service.

Cutlery and crockery

Damaged bins

If your wheeled bin is damaged then it may be unsafe to empty it. You should contact us through My Account to request a repair or replacement. We aim to repair rather than replace wherever possible. Please see new bin or bin repair / replacement for more information.

Drinks bottles and cans

Duvets and pillows

Egg boxes

If made from cardboard these are great for your home composter; just make sure that you break them up first!

Egg shells

Egg shells are excellent for home composting as they reduce the acidity, making the compost better for worms, which are very important in the composting process. They can also be a slug deterrent if crushed and sprinkled around plants.

Fabrics

Cooking fat can cause blockages if it is poured down the drain. It can be sealed in a container and taken to the Household Recycling and Reuse Centre (the tip), or you could mix it with bird seed and leave it to solidify. This makes a great bird feed for the winter!

Foil

Food and drink cartons

Food waste

Food waste currently makes up the largest component of the average Coventry households waste. Many types of food waste, such as fruit and vegetable peelings, can be home composted. General food waste should be placed in your green-lidded bin (general rubbish). For more information on reducing food waste, please visit Love Food Hate Waste.

Heavy bins

If your bin is too heavy we cannot empty it as it may break, fall or damage equipment when lifted at the back of our vehicle. You should remove some of the items and return your bin to your property until your next scheduled collection day. You can take extra waste to the Household Recycling and Reuse Centre (the tip).

Inhalers

Inkjet cartridges

Japanese knotweed requires special disposal and therefore cannot go into your household bins or to the Household Reuse and Recycling Centre. The Environment Agency must be notified if you find Japanese knotweed on your property or elsewhere. Information on harmful weeds and contact details for the Environment Agency can be found on the gov.uk website.

Love Food Hate Waste

Magazines

These can be recycled in your blue-lidded bin. If you have lots of magazines, people are sometimes interested in these on websites like Freecycle.

Master composters

Master composters are volunteers who try to encourage and promote home composting in their local community. To find out more about master composters and how you can become one, please visit master composters.

Many retailers offer removal of mattresses when they deliver new ones. If mattresses are in good condition and still have a fire label attached then they may be taken to a charity shop. Alternatively, you could arrange for a bulky waste collection for a small charge, or mattresses can be taken to the Household Recycling and Reuse Centre (the tip).

Medicines

Please return any unused or out of date medicine to your local doctor or pharmacy. If medicines are allowed to escape into the environment then they could be harmful to animals or plants, so it is important that these are dealt with properly.

Packaging

The most environmentally friendly thing to do is to try to buy things that have the minimum amount of packaging possible. Please see going greener for more information. You can contact retailers if you feel that they have used excessive or unnecessary packaging.

Check online as some charities can redistribute unused paint. You can also take it to the Household Recycling and Reuse Centre (the tip), where water based paints can be disposed of in the landfill container. Gloss based paints should be identified to a site operative.

Some larger supermarkets now offer recycling facilities for plastic bags. However, reusing plastic bags or replacing them with a reusable "Bag for Life" or longer-lasting cotton or jute bags are the best options environmentally. With the new 5p plastic bag charge, you will save money by taking a reusable bag with you every time you go shopping.

Polystyrene

Please dispose of polystyrene in your green-lidded bin. Although polystyrene is a form of plastic, the process of expanding the plastic into polystyrene causes changes to the plastic, meaning that I cannot currently be recycled. The best option environmentally is to try to avoid buying anything in polystyrene, as it takes hundreds of years to break down after it is thrown away. We are able to collect small quantities of polystyrene in your green lidded bin, we would ask where possible this is bagged. Large quantities should be disposed of at the Recycling and Reuse Centre (the tip), on the London Road.

Postage stamps

Some charities collect old stamps to raise money. You can search the internet to find a charity that accepts stamps locally.

Printer cartridges

Pyrex dishes and glasses

These cannot be recycled as they can explode when heated up in the glass recycling furnace. If they are in good condition then they can be taken to the a charity shop, or they can be taken to the Household Recycling and Reuse Centre (the tip).

Spectacles

Takeaway food containers

If the container is made of plastic or foil then you can wash it and either reuse it or recycle it in your blue-lidded bin. Polystyrene containers cannot be recycled currently. The best option environmentally for polystyrene containers is to find an alternative use for them or to try to avoid having them in the first place.

Washing machines

We now have an app, Your Rubbish, that you can use to remind you to put out your bins on the right day, what you can put in your bins and more! Find out more about it on our Waste and recycling app page.

Water

There are many ways that you can reduce, reuse and recycle water in the home. Please visit Waterwise for more information.

Water butts

Water butts can be used to collect rainwater to use on your garden instead of using treated tap water. Please visit home composting for more information.